Building construction and the like



S. THOMAS BUILDING C0 STRUCTION AND THE LIKE Sept 15, 1,925.

Nov. 26, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l File Sept. 15, 1925. W. 8. THOMAS BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONAND THE LIKE Fiied Nov. 26-, 1923 :s Shams-Sheet 2 Sept. 15, 1925.

. W. S. THOMAS BUILDING CQNSTRUCTION MID THE LIKE r1104 Nov. 26, 5 a Shuts-Shut a Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITE-o WINGATE S. THOM'AS, OF CHICAGO, IL L1NOIS, ASSIGNORA'TO KNAPP BROTHER-S MANIF FAGTURING-COMPANY, OF-CHIGAGO ILLINOIS; A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BU LDING conseeecwmeme LIKES Application filed 'nvemb-er '26,: 19'23. sriarno. 677,127.

To all 107mm it may concern of Illinois, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Building Constru'c tions and the like, of which the followingis a specification;

the like.

strips. Theinventio'n has reference particularly to improvements in the'forin and construc'tio'n of the'fitting used at corners and other special'places where thedirecti'on of the runningstrip is changed.

More particularly the invention has to do with improvements in fittings of the above general class which are'm'ade of nretali It has beenthe" practiceiirthe' past; where metal base boards and-similar running strips are used; to provide specialcastings or similar cumbersome fittings atthe 'cor 11ers or where the direction is tdbecha'ng' ed: These castings are objectionable from a number of staiidpoints including weight and bull; as well as relatively high'cost of manufacture;

The main object of the present invention isto provide corner orother angle 'fittings of a very simple forinwhich*1nay conveniently be made of; sheet metal stamped 3 or pressedinto the desired form. a I

In connectionwith the fo'regoii'ig,v it is a 'fu'rtlierobject of the invention to so form andarrange the'se fittings-L that when they are set into place-withthe base boards or other running strips; and when the" walls and'fioor of the" building construction are col'npl'eted,the exposed surfaces will besubstantially continuous and fiuslr at, all points; and present a pleasing and sightly appearance:

More particularlyiit is-"an object or this invention to make provision for" convenient connection of the base boardsofirunning strips to thecorner' or angle fittings themselves, ta king mm account the form" and constructionpf certain nietal ba'se board types which are extensively in useatthis time. In this connection it isadurtlier objecttoprovide fer very "simple and convenient attachmento'f the end portio'iis of-the' Be it known that I,WViNcATWSiTHoMAs, a'citizen of theUnited'States; residing" at Chicago,"in the countvof Cook'andState" base boards std, to the littiiigby the, use

of bolts, nails, screws or "other convenient attac-l'1i1ig-' devices and witliout the necessity of prov ding special attaching'inean'st Stlll mOrdparticularIy -'it* is an object of the inventioirto providefor therlush atp tachnient of the 1 base boards or running This invention has to do' with certain im provements 'in" building constructions "and The invention has reference par-'- ticn'larly to" improvements in the "construc tion" of base boards-and'sinrilar running strips with thefitt'ingsso as to' establishthe flush exposed surfacespreviously referred to wliileat-the sanie time giving adequate support to the backside of the endportions of the base boards, etc: This idea incorpo ratesthe feature "of providing an'olfs'etdn the edge portion of the fitting of the proper depth to accommodate the" thickness 'ofthe base board or the like. Inthepre'sent application I have disclosed constructions in wh'i'ch-thisoitset portion is provided par' Figure 1 shows a perspective View of an inside corner fitting embodying the features of the presentinv'ention and having applied to one ed ge 'thereo f the end portion of a strip of base board, theother'edge of the fitting'being exposed before the application of the base board strip thereto;

Fig.- 2'shows a perspective view,- broken away in its "centralportion, showing the for'rn of the fitting plate illustrated in the combination'of Fig. 1;

Fig. '3 shows aperspective View of one of the flange plates used in the combine tionof Fig.-1, beingthe left hand flange plate; 7 l

Figs 4 shows a side elevation correspond ing to Fig. 1,the base board strip not being in place Fig.6 shows a top plan View correspond ing to Figi fl Fig. 6 shows aloottolinplan view corre- 'sponding to" Fig 4;

Fig. 7 shows a rear perspective View of a modified form of fitting-embodying the features of the present invention, the same being for use on an external corner, and showing the end portion of one base board strip in place;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective View of the fitting plate of the form shown-in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of one of the side flange plates of the, form shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 10 shows a side elevation of the form shown in Fig. 7 without the presence of the base board strip;

Fig. 11 shows a top plan view corresponding to Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 shows a bottom plan view corresponding to- Fig. 10.

Referring first to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, and more particularly in Fig. 1, the end portion of one of the base board strips is designated by the numeral 15. It is of standard construction, and includes the vertical body portion 16 whose lower end portion 17 is generally curved outwardly on a smooth sweepto a point where it lies practically tangent to the floor surface. The extreme lower edge portion 18 is turned straight down so as to stand in a vertical position. The upper portion of the strip is generally deflected back on a sharp angle, as shown at 19, for substantially the thickness of the plastering, and

the extreme upper edge 20 is turned up into a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1.

The result of the foregoing is that the flanges 18 and 20 may be set or attached solidly to suitable nailing strips or the like so as to hold the base board rigidly in place. When the plastering is completed it comes down substantially flush with the upper edge of the body portion 16, and when the floor is laid into position it comes practically flush with the edge of the curved portion 17 In this way a practically continuous flush connection is established between the surface of the floor and the surface of the wall.

The fitting of the present invention, whether used for an internal or an external angle, is intended to establish a flush connection' with the end portions of the base boards or other running strips and at the same time provide a firm and rigid connection thereof with the walls or other permanent structure.

In the forms herein illustrated, the angles are 90, but manifestly the features of the invention may also be used for joining up either sharper or easier angles.

' here an inside angle is to be fitted, there is provided a'fitting plate 21. This has the side vertical wings 22 and 23 which are intended to contact the end portions of the base board or like strips, and the lower portion of the fitting plate is dished outwardly on regular curves, as shown at 24, so that its two edges 25 and 26 will properly register with the edges of the base board or like strips clear down to the point where the same become tangent to the floor surface. In the case of a right angle inside fitting, the wings 22 and 23 lie at right angles to each other and the lower portions of the edges 25 and 26 will approach each other at points somewhat removed from the point 27 which represents the exact center of the curve on which the lower portion 24 is dished. I, therefore, in such cases provide a notch 28 in the lower central portion of the fitting so as to establish the edge 29 in direct registry with the lower flanges 18 of the base board strips when in place. The relationship of the parts when assembled will be readily understood from examination of Fig. 1. I

At each side of the fitting plate 21 there is secured a flange strip 30 which projects beyond the fitting plate a distance suflicient to provide for rigid attachment to the end portions of the base boards. Each of these strips 30 has the body portion 31, whose lower end is curved outwardly as shown at 32 and provided with an extreme depending flange 33. The body 31 and the curved portions 32 are intended to seat snugly against the back side of the fitting plate 21.

Owing to the fact that the edge portions of the fitting plate are carried out a certain distance of tangency with respect to the base boards, the flange plates 30 can be set against these tangential edge portions and spot welded or otherwise secured thereto so as to provide the structure clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

The upper end of the flange plate 30 is bent backwardly at right angles, as shown at 34, and its extreme end is then turned up again, as shown at 35. The flange plate is also notched as shown at 36 at the point where the rearward bend 34 takes place. This notching is so formed that whereas the body portion 16 of the base board lies against the front surface of the flange plate 30, the upper flange 19 of the base board passes through the slot 36, and the flange 20'of the base board lies flush against the back side of the lug 35. This arrangement makes it possible for the base board flange 20 to maintain its snug fit against the per-- manent structure throughout its length, and still establish the desired relationship of the parts at the point where the base board and corner fitting come together- It will be understood that the thickness of the fitting plate is intended to be the same as that of the base board material, so that a flush exposed surface will be presented.

. The form shown in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive isintended for use with an external angle. In this case the fitting plate 37 has the vertical side portions 38 and 39, joined together on the desired curvature, the lower portion of the fitting 37 being dished outwardly as shown at l0 in order to bring its edge portion into tangency with respect to the floor level. In this construction the flange plates ll are similar to those particularly described in connection with the pre vious connection, and when the base boards are set into place similar relationships are established. In like manner the flange plates ll may be secured to the fitting plate 37 in any convenient manner as by means of spot welding or otherwise.

I wish to point out the fact that in the constructions herein particularly illustrated the pairs of flange plates 30 and 41 respectively are separate from each other and are intended for independent attachment to the fitting plates. Nevertheless, the features of the invention may also be embodiedin other constructions, as, for example, constructions in which these flange plates are formed as a unit and from a single piece of sheet metal. I do not, however, specifically claim such construction in this application, since the same constitutes the subject-matter of another application for Letters Patent of the United States executed by me of even date herewith.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments of the features of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself to the same except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a building construction the combination with a metal base board in the form of a sheet metal strip having a vertical body portion, and an outwardly curved quarter round at its lower end adapted to establish tangent connection with the floor surface, the upper edge of the body portion being adapted to establish fiush connection with the wall surface, of a sheet metal angle fitting adapted to fit onto the end of the base board strip and establish a continuous exposed surface flush with the exposed surface of the base board strip throughout the line of junction between the wall and floor surfaces, said fitting comprising a fitting plate of thickness equal to that of the base boa-rd strip and having a vertical body portion whose sides come together on the desired angle or curvature and whose lower portion is formed on a curved surface of which the lower edge portion terminates at every point substantially tangent to the surface of the floor, together with outwardly projecting flanges extending along the edges of the fitting strip and set rearwardly with respect to the exposed surface of the fitting a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the base board strip, the upper edgeof the fitting plate lying substantially on a level with the upper edge of the base board strip, whereby a flush substantially c0ntinuone surface is established between the base board strip and the fitting plate at all points between the wall and floor surfaces aforesaid, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet metal angle fitting adapted for use in conjunction with a sheet metal base board strip, said fitting comprising a fitting plate of thickness equal to that of the base board strip and having a vertical body portion having flat sides which come together on the desired angle or curvature and whose lower portion is formed on a curved surface of which the lower edge portion terminates at every point substantially tangent to {the surface of the fioor and which sides are curved outwardly at their lower ends on a curvature the same as that of the lower portion of the base board, and a flange strip secured against the back face of each side portion of the fitting plate including the lower curved portion thereof and reaching from a point adjacent to the top edge of the fitting plate to a point adjacent to the lower edge thereof, substantially as described.

WINGATE S. THOMAS. 

